Removing Gratuities Onboard at Guest Services

[3yorkies]

3 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

20 years ago was there even such a thing as autogratuities? Cash was king. I think it still is.

All 20 have actually been since the restart.  I cruise 5 to 8 times a year.    But it was after the restart that I began doing ONLY unlimited dining so that was when I started to remove the auto-grats.   It just made no sense because I am not in the mdr nor the buffet.   So I started taking them all off and tipping like we did many years ago, all direct.    Every room steward has always had a big smile when I explained what I was doing.   Cash is definitely king.    And whether they then contribute the cash I hand them to a "pool" is their business, not mine.

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

This is CC where only your way is the correct way and everyone else must be converted and convinced to step out of the darkness into the light.

 

 

 

[Jetdriver787]

Twenty First day of November in the year of our lord 1620.

 

From the promenade deck of the good ship Mayflower Of The Seas at anchor in the  bay at Provincetown Harbour in the Plymouth Colony!

 

Dearest Gertrude,

 

Well! All I can say is “NEVER AGAIN!” Although our journey started with calm seas, the Last two months have been awful! The master must have gone out of his way to find such stormy seas. I suspect Turnip provisions for only a month were proved sufficient only as so many people were afflicted by “mal de mer!” That, and the awful handwashing ditty the dining room attendants insisted on singing at each mealtime. 
 

Despite the drawings in the so called “brochure,” all 102 passengers were crammed into the most cramped of cupboard like accommodations they grandiosely called “Staterooms!” Children were running up and down the decks past midnight and although the menu suggested the vessel carried no beasts of burden, some fellow travellers had brought sheep, goats, dogs and poultry, all claiming they were for something called “emotional support?”

 

For the first month we would entertain ourselves with card games by candlelight. By the second month married couples were divided by three and made to humiliate themselves  in the name of “Love and Marriage” for the much vaunted prize of a Turnip. Later, groups of ladies and gentlemen would be invited to “Quest” by exchanging their nether garments and parading on deck in ladies powders and potions. If that wasn’t bad enough, they would then exchange wooden teeth, legs, and other appendages for the sin of something supposedly called “Fun!” 
 

Only last week did we learn of a tradition called “Gratuities!” I mean really! The vessels Purser has been raiding our hold trunks for a Farthing a day to recompense this ships motley crew for their attendance and entertainment. Well I can tell you, Henry is  having none of it and along with at least 90 other good folk, stood for hours at the pursers desk, as best he could in the sway of the malevolent seas, to demand they be returned! “Tipping” indeed! The next thing you know they will be tipping our tea chests into the new Boston harbour if this thing is allowed to foster! 

 

Finally we have made landfall! Not of course as promised in the Virginia colony, but here in a place Henry calls Cape Cod! Locals seem quite friendly though of course no one speaks English, and just beads and the usual tourist tat on offer.

 

May this letter forewarn and find you in good health.

 

Your loving sister Elizabeth (now Diamond Plus apparently?)

 

 

 

[shandryl]

3 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

This is CC where only your way is the correct way and everyone else must be converted and convinced to step out of the darkness into the light.

True Story! 😂👏👏👏🎉🎉

[Ocean Boy]

46 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Twenty First day of November in the year of our lord 1620.

 

From the promenade deck of the good ship Mayflower Of The Seas at anchor in the  bay at Provincetown Harbour in the Plymouth Colony!

 

Dearest Gertrude,

 

Well! All I can say is “NEVER AGAIN!” Although our journey started with calm seas, the Last two months have been awful! The master must have gone out of his way to find such stormy seas. I suspect Turnip provisions for only a month were proved sufficient only as so many people were afflicted by “mal de mer!” That, and the awful handwashing ditty the dining room attendants insisted on singing at each mealtime. 
 

Despite the drawings in the so called “brochure,” all 102 passengers were crammed into the most cramped of cupboard like accommodations they grandiosely called “Staterooms!” Children were running up and down the decks past midnight and although the menu suggested the vessel carried no beasts of burden, some fellow travellers had brought sheep, goats, dogs and poultry, all claiming they were for something called “emotional support?”

 

For the first month we would entertain ourselves with card games by candlelight. By the second month married couples were divided by three and made to humiliate themselves  in the name of “Love and Marriage” for the much vaunted prize of a Turnip. Later, groups of ladies and gentlemen would be invited to “Quest” by exchanging their nether garments and parading on deck in ladies powders and potions. If that wasn’t bad enough, they would then exchange wooden teeth, legs, and other appendages for the sin of something supposedly called “Fun!” 
 

Only last week did we learn of a tradition called “Gratuities!” I mean really! The vessels Purser has been raiding our hold trunks for a Farthing a day to recompense this ships motley crew for their attendance and entertainment. Well I can tell you, Henry is  having none of it and along with at least 90 other good folk, stood for hours at the pursers desk, as best he could in the sway of the malevolent seas, to demand they be returned! “Tipping” indeed! The next thing you know they will be tipping our tea chests into the new Boston harbour if this thing is allowed to foster! 

 

Finally we have made landfall! Not of course as promised in the Virginia colony, but here in a place Henry calls Cape Cod! Locals seem quite friendly though of course no one speaks English, and just beads and the usual tourist tat on offer.

 

May this letter forewarn and find you in good health.

 

Your loving sister Elizabeth (now Diamond Plus apparently?)

 

 

 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[vswan]

After covid, I have have been pretty good at being sure to tip well. But things have gotten totally nutso. When a fast food restaurant asks what percentage you want to tip and you have had to stand in line to order and no one brings anything to your table, I do not tip. Today, my sister told me that she had gone to a state fair and bought a new treadmill. When they presented her the bill to sign there was a space to add a 20% tip - she didn't. This tipping stuff is getting out of control.

 

I pre-pay my cruise tips and leave them on. But, I do not think I should be the person paying the wages of behind the scenes employees - that should be the cruise lines responsibility. I am one who thinks tips should be included in the cruise price to start with if they are part of the cost of cruising.

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

My guess is a new tipping thread will start in less than two weeks. 

No way.  It will only be a few days to another one.

[bbodb1]

On 8/24/2024 at 9:39 AM, bucfan2 said:

Likewise. This thread has been as entertaining as watching preschoolers on the playground. 

 

You need to spend more time on the playground @bucfan2 because preschoolers can and will get in the most interesting predicaments!  

[bbodb1]

On 8/24/2024 at 10:10 AM, Biker19 said:

There’s nothing in this thread that hasn’t been beaten to death in previous tipping threads in the last 10+ years. 

You mean the horse is immortal??? 😉

[bbodb1]

And for something completely different....

 

Our upcoming HAL cruise had a promotion for Prepaid Crew Appreciation Offer but as I read more of the fine print I see something curious....

 

"Prepaid Crew Appreciation Offer valid on new bookings made xx/xx/xx-xx/xx/xx. If guest cancels and reinstates booking, applies a fare change, or changes room category outside of valid booking window, offer no longer valid and will be removed. Prepaid Crew Appreciation: per stateroom for guest 1&2. Gratuities for other services, including, but limited to, bar, dining room, wine accounts and spa/salon services, are not included. Offer is subject to availability. Applies only to the cruise portion of Alaska cruisetours, and is not transferable nor refundable."
 

Most of the fine print is fairly straightforward but how can this offer be subject to availability?  

 

Fortunately, I have not made any changes whatsoever to this reservation since it was originally booked but I do plan to print this information and have it with me just in case crew appreciation charges are applied to our account.  

 

Has anyone else around here had this type of offer and if so, was it applied as it should have been (and no crew appreciation gratuities were applied to your account)?  

 

One last thought - with respect to those list(s) of passenger who may have removed prepaid crew gratuities from their account, will the fact we have these charges paid via a promotion mean we show up on one of these lists (since we did not pay crew gratuities as a result of a promotion)? 

Edited August 26 by bbodb1

[Biker19]

6 minutes ago, bbodb1 said:

Most of the fine print is fairly straightforward but how can this offer be subject to availability?  

They may limit the $ amount HAL overall allocates for the offer - once the pot of $ runs out, so does the promo. 

Edited August 26 by Biker19

[bbodb1]

10 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

They may limit the $ amount HAL overall allocates for the offer - once the pot of $ runs out, so does the promo. 

 

Thanks @biker19 - that certainly seems reasonable and would definitely be an incentive for potential passengers to book early (which we did).  I guess I would feel more confident in all things HAL related if this OBC actually appeared on our cruise booking details NOW under our HAL accounts instead of later / at time of sailing.  

 

It does seem odd OBC does not show up on HAL accounts prior to a sailing but they do show up on Carnival accounts prior to sailing (when HAL is under the Carnival corporate umbrella).   

Edited August 26 by bbodb1

[tcrandal]

I know there are many different viewpoints on this topic, and I also know that I am sick of the tipping culture in America, where I get asked to tip at a fast food restaurant for someone handing me a bag with food in it. That said, I witnessed someone removing tips from their room, and showing their family member how to do the same thing, and was absolutely disgusted. 

 

There are certainly legitimate reasons to do so, however it was early day 2 of the cruise, so not sure what could have happened to justify that, and saw the same person in the Casino playing hundreds of dollars on table games per hand. 

 

I'm sorry, but the cruise staff work very hard, and in my opinion deserve the auto-gratuity and then some, just can't believe how people justify not tipping in this scenario. If you can blow 1000's at the casino, can you not provide standard gratuities for the people taking care of you??

[cruisegus]

8 minutes ago, tcrandal said:

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, tcrandal said:

There are certainly legitimate reasons to do so,..

 

Nope not a single legitimate reasons to remove cruise line Gratuities. 

 

Nada None

[JJK2008]

CC should lock tipping threads. Far too many people think they are obligated to express their Subjective opinions to ALL. Leave auto gratuity, remove auto gratuity, pay cash gratuity, pay extra cash with auto gratuity, pay no gratuity, adjust gratuity as YOU see fit, etc., etc., etc. Don't worry about what Anyone else says or thinks. Opinions are like a certain body orafice, we ALL have one. Enjoy cruising and worry ONLY about yourself.

Stay Safe.

 

[marci22]

22 minutes ago, JJK2008 said:

CC should lock tipping threads. Far too many people think they are obligated to express their Subjective opinions to ALL.

Is there any other type of opinion besides subjective?

 

cc has to love tipping threads. Lots of clicks and interaction with no new info required.

 

[yogimax]

1 hour ago, JJK2008 said:

 Enjoy cruising and worry ONLY about yourself.

 

 

 

Some folks actually do care and worry about others.  

[alfaeric]

On 8/27/2024 at 12:01 AM, cruisegus said:

 

 

 

Nope not a single legitimate reasons to remove cruise line Gratuities. 

 

Nada None

If you get really bad service, you may be justified. But in +70 cruises, never had bad service to justify that. 
 

But some of the bar staff are earning not a tip, that’s for sure. 

[time4u2go]

On 8/26/2024 at 9:01 PM, cruisegus said:

 

 

 

Nope not a single legitimate reasons to remove cruise line Gratuities. 

 

Nada None

Bad service.